High achieving blind athlete to share his vision for success

Published: Monday, March 19, 2007 at 11:32 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 19, 2007 at 11:32 a.m.

Despite a handicap, MacFarlane has won 103 athletic gold medals, recorded pop albums and gained an audience with the pope in Italy.

These are only a few of the many things he’s done in his extraordinary life.

What’s most amazing about the man who travels on his own and has a great golf game is the way he sees the world.

Actually, he doesn’t see the world at all since he’s blind.

Nonethless, MacFarlane regularly shares his outlook on life as an inspiring motivational speaker. He will speak Thursday in Thibodaux and Gray as part of several appearances he is making in southeast Louisiana this week.

At 2 years old, a freak accident involving a welding torch striker hit him in his left eye, causing permanent blindness. His friends were playing with the striker in his parents’ back yard.

Then within six weeks, MacFarlane lost sight in his right eye due to a rare eye disease called Sympathetic Opthelmia. The disease makes someone’s good eye go blind to sympathize for the loss of vision in the damaged one.

“I don’t have any memories of being able to see,” MacFarlane said. “I always tell people if something like this is going to happen to you, at least I feel fortunate it occurred when it did. If I had been older and lost my sight, I think I would have had more difficulty dealing with it.”

After spending months in a hospital in his native Canada, MacFarlane was released and began his incredible journey of self-discovery.

MacFarlane discovered he could do anything everyone else did. He took control of his other senses by mastering a technique called “muscle memory.”

MacFarlane discusses this technique in his book, “Inner Vision.”

The technique allowed him to become an accomplished wrestler, skier (both water and snow), sprinter and golfer. MacFarlane can even pick up a bat and hit a ball.

“I treat it (being blind) as a minor inconvenience,” MacFarlane, who was holding his 9-month-old child during the interview, said. “I have never let it stop me from doing what I want to do.”

With a long list of accomplishments on his résumé, MacFarlane had no problem transitioning into his current motivational-speaker role.

For the past 16 years, MacFarlane has traveled the globe as a goodwill ambassador for Edward Jones Financial Group. Meanwhile, his 20/20 Inner Vision Foundation works to combat students dropping out of school.

In his estimation, he has visited 2,400 schools and spoken at hundreds of corporate events.

Starting this week, MacFarlane will begin making appearances locally. Stops include New Orleans, Belle Chasse, Marrero, Reserve, Thibodaux and Gray.

“I’ve been to south Louisiana several times,” MacFarlane said. “I tell you what, nothing beats the food and the great people who live in south Louisiana. Everyone treats me like one of their family when I come down here.”

On Thursday, MacFarlane will speak to E.D. White Catholic High students at 9 a.m. in the school’s gym.

Later in the evening, he will talk at the Women’s Business Alliance’s Annual Athena Awards Banquet in Gray.

“My main emphasis in my speeches is pride,” MacFarlane said. “You must live with a sense of pride in order to be successful. The five fundamentals I touch on include responsibility, individuality and enthusiasm.”

In a society where people often say “they can’t,” MacFarlane believes in taking a can-do approach to life.

“You have to fight through the low moments because believe me they will happen,” MacFarlane said. “If you have the heart, desire and passion to push past the tough times, you will become a stronger person. Things are never as bad as they seem, and that’s the message I try to spread to today’s young people.”

For information about MacFarlane’s life story, visit his Web site at www.cmpride.com.

<p>Craig MacFarlane doesn’t believe in excuses.</p><p>Despite a handicap, MacFarlane has won 103 athletic gold medals, recorded pop albums and gained an audience with the pope in Italy.</p><p>These are only a few of the many things he’s done in his extraordinary life.</p><p>What’s most amazing about the man who travels on his own and has a great golf game is the way he sees the world.</p><p>Actually, he doesn’t see the world at all since he’s blind.</p><p>Nonethless, MacFarlane regularly shares his outlook on life as an inspiring motivational speaker. He will speak Thursday in Thibodaux and Gray as part of several appearances he is making in southeast Louisiana this week.</p><p>At 2 years old, a freak accident involving a welding torch striker hit him in his left eye, causing permanent blindness. His friends were playing with the striker in his parents’ back yard.</p><p>Then within six weeks, MacFarlane lost sight in his right eye due to a rare eye disease called Sympathetic Opthelmia. The disease makes someone’s good eye go blind to sympathize for the loss of vision in the damaged one.</p><p>I don’t have any memories of being able to see, MacFarlane said. I always tell people if something like this is going to happen to you, at least I feel fortunate it occurred when it did. If I had been older and lost my sight, I think I would have had more difficulty dealing with it.</p><p>After spending months in a hospital in his native Canada, MacFarlane was released and began his incredible journey of self-discovery.</p><p>MacFarlane discovered he could do anything everyone else did. He took control of his other senses by mastering a technique called muscle memory.</p><p>MacFarlane discusses this technique in his book, Inner Vision.</p><p>The technique allowed him to become an accomplished wrestler, skier (both water and snow), sprinter and golfer. MacFarlane can even pick up a bat and hit a ball.</p><p>I treat it (being blind) as a minor inconvenience, MacFarlane, who was holding his 9-month-old child during the interview, said. I have never let it stop me from doing what I want to do.</p><p>With a long list of accomplishments on his résumé, MacFarlane had no problem transitioning into his current motivational-speaker role.</p><p>For the past 16 years, MacFarlane has traveled the globe as a goodwill ambassador for Edward Jones Financial Group. Meanwhile, his 20/20 Inner Vision Foundation works to combat students dropping out of school.</p><p>In his estimation, he has visited 2,400 schools and spoken at hundreds of corporate events.</p><p>Starting this week, MacFarlane will begin making appearances locally. Stops include New Orleans, Belle Chasse, Marrero, Reserve, Thibodaux and Gray.</p><p>I’ve been to south Louisiana several times, MacFarlane said. I tell you what, nothing beats the food and the great people who live in south Louisiana. Everyone treats me like one of their family when I come down here.</p><p>On Thursday, MacFarlane will speak to E.D. White Catholic High students at 9 a.m. in the school’s gym.</p><p>Later in the evening, he will talk at the Women’s Business Alliance’s Annual Athena Awards Banquet in Gray.</p><p>My main emphasis in my speeches is pride, MacFarlane said. You must live with a sense of pride in order to be successful. The five fundamentals I touch on include responsibility, individuality and enthusiasm.</p><p>In a society where people often say they can’t, MacFarlane believes in taking a can-do approach to life.</p><p>You have to fight through the low moments because believe me they will happen, MacFarlane said. If you have the heart, desire and passion to push past the tough times, you will become a stronger person. Things are never as bad as they seem, and that’s the message I try to spread to today’s young people.</p><p>For information about MacFarlane’s life story, visit his Web site at www.cmpride.com.</p>